Chapter 49

Only seastone could dent Loya's ice armor like that. Regular bullets would've just bounced off.

Loya stepped forward, unfazed. Cold air spread along the ground. "Ice-Make: Ice Field!"

Rocky leapt from behind the rubble. "Trying to freeze me? You're too green, Aokiji!"

"Aokiji?" Loya blinked, confused. Who the hell was that?

As the dust settled, they locked eyes for the first time. Both looked bewildered.

"Who is this guy?" Rocky thought.

"Damn, you had me going there!" Loya muttered.

But Loya recovered faster. A wicked grin spread across his face as he aimed his hand at the airborne Rocky. "Ice Fall Burial!"

The ice coating the walls came alive, lunging at Rocky with fang and claw.

Rocky's eyes went wide. "Living ice?! What kind of freak are you?!"

Loya didn't bother explaining. As Rocky started to dodge, he clenched his fist. "Die! Iron Maiden!"

The ice blocks slammed together with blinding speed, trapping Rocky mid-air.

Rocky wasn't too worried at first. It was just ice, right? He could use his Armament Haki. This wasn't Admiral Aokiji, after all. "Harden!"

His body began to turn black, but before he could finish, a razor-sharp ice spike pierced his heart. Rocky's eyes bulged in shock.

Blood and heart fragments spurted from his mouth, only to be forced back down his throat by the ever-present ice. Rocky choked, his mind reeling. "How...? I hardened..."

Loya showed no mercy, pouring more magical energy into his attack.

In an instant, countless ice spikes tore through Rocky's body, shredding him to bits.

The Iron Maiden - Loya's combo of Thousand Needle Pierce and Ice Fall Burial. Once caught, you either break free or die.

Rocky's Armament Haki was impressive. He could harden his entire body, a rare feat that had served him well. It was his trump card, letting him contribute greatly to Beard's crew. Who'd expect a guy with full-body hardening to have such weak defense?

But today, his pride became his downfall. By spreading his Haki thin, he left himself vulnerable. And Loya's magical ice was no ordinary frost.

"Must be one of Beard's top men," Loya mused, sifting through the gory remains. He found a golden coin and grinned. "Well, well. The elusive Rocky, Beard's right-hand man. Didn't see that coming."

Pocketing the coin, Loya strolled out. He couldn't claim the bounty as a Marine, but this kill would boost his mission score nicely.

Meanwhile, at the snowy mountain mine pit:

"Rocky's dead," Beard said flatly, watching the life paper in his hand burn to ash.

The dark-skinned youth couldn't hide his disdain. "Tools break. You replace them. But with an enemy this strong, shouldn't you step in?" He gestured at the mine. "If we don't deal with this, all that gold's worthless."

"Tch. I know that!" Beard snapped. "Instead of stating the obvious, make sure your ship's ready to bolt. The Navy hunts in packs. Their main force won't be far behind."

The youth nodded half-heartedly and left.

Beard watched him go, sneering. If not for the youth's life paper, Beard would've killed him ages ago. So what if Baroque Works was big in the Grand Line? Every mercenary outfit had its shadowy backers.

But now wasn't the time for infighting. Even with this headache of a partnership, Beard stood to make a killing. He'd play nice... for now.

Inside, the dark-skinned youth exhaled shakily. "Damn, that was intense. Is this what a big-time pirate's aura feels like? One look and I'm rattled. Working with him... I don't know if I've made a huge mistake."

He poured himself some water, then pulled out his Den Den Mushi.

"Miss All Sunday? We need to abort. Navy HQ's vanguard has hit Heathville. The money's a lost cause." He swallowed hard. "I'll... I'll face whatever punishment when I return."

Mr. 5 broke into a cold sweat, dreading Baroque Works' idea of "punishment." But to his shock, Nico Robin seemed unfazed.

"Very well. There's a ship waiting in the southwest cave. You can leave anytime." Her voice cooled. "As for punishment, that's the boss's call. Are you sure about this?"

"There's already a ship here?! Why didn't you tell me?" Mr. 5 blurted.

"I didn't think I needed to, Mr. 5." Her icy tone snapped him to attention.

"Of course! Forgive my outburst!"

Meanwhile, Loya stalked through blood-soaked streets, a grim reaper with an ice halberd.

"Stay back! Monster!" The last pirate's pleas were cut short as Loya's weapon cleaved him in two.

Loya stepped over the body - his 109th kill since Rocky. He cocked his head, listening. "You're here already, Aludo?" He grinned, planting his halberd. "You're next, Beard."

Suddenly, the ground roared and shook. As Loya struggled for balance, a figure appeared behind him.

"Down you go, bastard!" A vicious kick sent Loya flying into a newly-formed chasm.

Beard landed, tapping his foot. "Buried alive for you."

The earth groaned as tons of rock and soil collapsed, sealing the gap.

"Tch. Some rookie hotshot kills my men and thinks he can mess with my business?" Beard sneered at the filled crevasse. "Elite squad or not, you're out of your league, kid."

"Oh really? So sorry to spoil your fun."

Loya's voice came from behind, followed by a barrage of ice spears.

"Nice Soru dodge, kid. But it won't save you," Beard snarled, whirling to face Loya. "You'll regret the day you were born! Exploding Fist - Meteor!"

The air filled with fiery fist-shadows, each trailing black Haki. They collided with Loya's ice spears in a deafening barrage of explosions.

Miles away in Green Leaf Town, Tony lifted his blade from a pirate's throat, head cocked towards the distant booms. "Sounds like Loya found trouble."

He glanced at his sword, then back to the hilltop manor. "But I've got my own job to do. This town needs cleaning up."

As Tony flicked blood from his blade, he shuddered... then smiled. "God, that feels good."

"No!" He snapped out of it, cold sweat breaking out. "What's wrong with me?"

To his horror, blood-red tendrils snaked from his wrist, fusing his hand to the sword hilt. They writhed, lapping up the blood.

"What the hell?!" Tony tried to pry them off with his free hand, but collapsed in agony.

"Pathetic," a dark thought whispered. The tendrils tightened, burrowing into bone. Tony screamed.

Meanwhile, back in Big Snail City, Mingde and Aludo faced down the last Scavenger Pirates.

"Cannon Fist: Hundred Guns!" Aludo roared. His punch shattered one pirate, then he hurled the broken body like a cannonball. Bones crunched as it plowed through the pirate ranks.

"That's what you get for messing with me!" Aludo roared, wiping blood from a fresh cut on his cheek. He charged another group of pirates.

Nearby, Mingde swung his mace, leaving a trail of bloody, broken bodies. "Aludo!" he shouted. "I'll finish these guys. Head east!"

"Got it!"

CRACK! Another pirate's skull shattered under Aludo's fist, painting him crimson.

BANG! A gunshot rang out. Aludo stumbled back.

The pirates cheered. "We got him!"

Their celebration died as Aludo straightened up, spitting out a flattened bullet. "Mingde! I've got this. Go find Tony!"

Mingde sighed. "Tough being the boss these days." He hefted his mace and took off.

Aludo's grin turned feral. "I warned you about the face. Now, who pulled that trigger?"

The pirates parted, revealing a scrawny, terrified man.

"You, huh?" Aludo cracked his knuckles, advancing. He grabbed the man's head, pulling him close. "How do you want to die, little man?"